The disclosure is directed to an image forming devices and, more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for correcting transfer and photoreceptor belt misalignment in an image forming device.
Apparatuses that form images on a sheet, such as electro-photographic reproduction machine and printers are equipped with mechanisms to rotate a continuous belt at various locations inside the apparatus. The continuous belts used in conjunction with such mechanisms include a photoreceptor belt and transfer belt. Flexible electrostatographic belt imaging members are well known in the art. Typical electrostatographic flexible belt imaging members include, for example, photoreceptors for electrophotographic imaging systems; electroreceptors or flexible ionographic imaging members for electrographic imaging systems; and flexible intermediate transfer belts for transferring toner images in electrophotographic and electrographic imaging systems.
To insure proper operation of the flexible electrostatographic belt imaging members it is important to limit shifts along the axes of rotation and lateral position as it rotates. Shifts in lateral position results in imaging degradation and damage, with repeated operations, to the belt itself. A source of shifting in lateral position can arise when the photoreceptor belt and transfer belt interact. This belt interaction creates a meandering force or contact force that leads to misalignment or shifting of the belt in a lateral position. The misalignment causes the edge portions of the respective belts to be damaged by the meandering belts. Another source is differences in speed of the belts, too much velocity variation or misalignment can cause belt ripple, image distortion, or abrasive degradation.